DENZA D9 - Luxury VIP Wagon Arrives with Flash Charging

BYD’s luxury brand, DENZA, has unveiled it’s luxury MPV Plug-In Hybrid complete with Flash charging, adding a second model following the Porsche Taycan rivalling DENZA Z9 GT that was revealed earlier in the year.

Made for VIP Travel

This is a full-sized, luxury MPV made for VIP travel that DENZA describes as “first-class business travel with zero Gravity seats”. They even recline by up to 152 degrees, and coupled with a supple ride, those VIPs are assured maximum.

Battery, Charging and Range

Both trim levels get BYDs “Super Hybrid Dual Mode Intelligent and All-Wheel Drive (DM-i AWD)” plug-in hybrid powertrain, complete with a huge 58.5 kWh battery (same size battery that’s in the VW ID.3) providing a very useful 130 miles of EV only range. The combined powertrain will stretch to 590 miles from a full tank and a fully charged battery.

And with Flash Charging technology, DENZA claims the battery can charge 10% to 70% in just 5 minutes, or 10% to 97% in just 9 minutes at a compatible Flash Charge. Even the cold weather doesn’t deter it much, because at -30 C, the DENZA will charge 20% to 97% in 12 minutes - quite extraordinary.

Powertrain

The powertrain has two electric motors, with the front motor producing 231 PS, and a rear motor motor adding a further 61 PS. The 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine provides 120 PS and serves as a generator for the battery and electric motors most of the time.

Combined, the D9 will accelerate from 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds, which doesn’t sound fast, but then the D9 isn’t built for setting lap records at the Nürburgring. It is designed to ferry passengers around in absolute comfort.

Comfort and Practicality

The D9 gets powered sliding doors and tailgate as standard which helps its passengers to board and alight with ease and dignity.

Occupant comfort is prioritised as the D9 is fitted with what DENZA calls its “DiSus-C intelligent damping system”. Integrating DiSus-C with the MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension, it adjusts the rates of compression and rebound damping. Not only does this deliver good body control through the corners (needed for a large van-like car), but it also offers a supple and compliant ride whatever the road surfaces.

In its seven-seat configuration the D9 offers plenty of cabin space in all three rows, and yet the boot capacity ranges from 430 to 570 litres depending on the rear-most bench position. When that rear-most bench is folded down, maximum load capacity is 2,310 litres, whilst still seating four in absolute comfort.

Specification

Elegance comes with leather trimmed seats and a 1.1 m2 panoramic glass roof - with an electric sunshade - that floods the cabin with light, or stars at night.

There’s an LCD armrest in each of the second-row seats to manage the climate control and infotainment functions. There’s also a cooling and heating compartment for food and drinks.

Up front, the seats are both heated and ventilated with a 10-point massage function, plus the steering wheel is also heated.

The 15.6-inch, central touchscreen comes with built-in Google, including an app store.

Ultimate adds more features, such as a foot gesture activation for the sliding doors and tailgate, plus there’s a digital rear view mirror display so that the driver can see behind even with the D9 fully laden.

Those Zero gravity seats come trimmed in Nappa leather and have a 14-way adjustment, 16-point massaging functions and they can recline up to 152 degrees for snooze-mode. They’re also heated and ventilated to ensure maximum comfort.

Each occupants gets their own 12.8-inch entertainment screen mounted to the back of the seats ahead, as you expect to find in a commercial aeroplane, but there is some wood trim scattered about to elevate the cabin to a more premium feel.

Price and Availability

The DENZA D9 is available to order now in both the Elegance trim from £75,000 MRRP, and the range-topping Ultimate trim, priced at £85,000.

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About the Author

Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more.

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